Medicare rebate for e-Health records

The federal health minister Tanya Plibersek has confirmed that a Medicare rebate will be made available to general practitioners utilising Australia's new e-health records as part of a consultation.

Speaking at the Health E-Nation Conference on March 28, Ms Plibersek explained that three time-based levels of support will be offered to GPs, ranging from $35.60 to $101.55.

"I am pleased to confirm MBS [Medicare Benefits Schedule] consultation items will be available to GPs as part of providing continuity of care to a patient, and if they are creating or adding to a shared health summary on an e-health record, which involves taking a patient's medical history as part of a consultation," Plibersek said.

Launching on July 1, the Personally Controlled e-Health Record (PCEHR) looks to give all Australians - regardless of their level of health insurance - the chance to go online to view their medical records.

The opt-in system will also allow important information such as conditions, medications, allergies and records of events such as hospital stays to be accessed by a wide range of health professionals.